Apple Macbook Pro finally gets to feature a touch display. With the advent of a touch interface, the way people interact with MacOS on the go will change forever. A big welcome to PROLED XDR dual stack OLED on 14 and 16-inch MacBooks Pro for the first time in Apple's laptops' history.
Apple introduces PROLED XDR OLED screens and M5 chips to MacBook Pro
This makes a huge difference in terms of display quality, with a peak brightness of 2000nits for both HDR and SDR content. This will give creative professionals and media viewers better contrast.
Spec comparison
| Spec | MacBook Pro 14-inch | MacBook Pro 16-inch |
|---|---|---|
| Display | PROLED XDR OLED | PROLED XDR OLED |
| Weight | 1.38 kg | 1.82 kg |
| Max Memory | 128GB | 128GB |
| Max Storage | 16TB | 16TB |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5 | 3x Thunderbolt 5 |
M5 Pro and M5 Max are the powering chips of these new laptops. According to Apple, these will offer sustained performance with a thinner body. Apple has brought the 14-inch MacBook Pro down to 1.38kg.
A drop of about 220gm from the previous generation. At 1.82kg, the larger 16-inch screen is easier to take on the go for travelers.
A variable refresh rate of 120Hz. Plus, a 10000000:1 contrast ratio will give you more black than ever. Apple has also introduced Dynamic Island to Mac, extending iPhone's interactive notification system to the laptop. There are three Thunderbolt 5 ports, plus HDMI, SDXC card, MagSafe, and headphone jack.
You can configure the memory up to 128GB of unified memory. The maximum storage option will be 16TB. Apple claims a 50% improvement in low-frequency bass response with an all-new, six-speaker system. The change in thermal architecture (complete redesign) has made it possible to achieve this in a thinner form factor, according to Apple.
22999 CNY (~$3443) is the starting price for the base model of the 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 Pro in China. For the M5 Max model, you can configure a higher spec for 14-inch models from 25499 CNY (~$3817) to 41499 CNY (~$6212). The larger 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at 27999 CNY (~$4191). You can go all the way up to 43999 CNY (~$6586).
Starting October 29, 2024, you can start pre-ordering. The general sale will start on November 6, 2024. We earlier covered leaks for Touchscreen OLED display and Dynamic Island. No confirmed release date (in countries other than China) is in the data currently.
Apple officially confirms that there is touchscreen & OLED display on MacBook Pro. Powered by M5 series. 14 and 16 inch models to choose from. Up to 16TB of storage.
Thunderbolt 5. Lighter.
Dynamic Island on a laptop finally feels useful for notifications.
The article states the 14 inch model weighs 1.38 kg. This is a 220 gram drop from the previous generation. Please verify the baseline weight for the older model to ensure the math holds up.
16tb storage is wild but the price jump from the base model is steep. I am just here for the thunderbolt 5 ports.
Will the global release price match the china pricing or will it be higher?
The article only lists prices for China. We do not have confirmed pricing for other regions yet. Expect a higher MSR P for global markets due to taxes and shipping.
Apple claims sustained performance with a completely redesigned thermal architecture. I remain skeptical about maintaining peak performance in a thinner chassis without higher noise levels.
I just hope macOS does not start forcing updates because the touch driver needs a patch. That would be annoying.
The six speaker system with 50 more bass is the real win here.